Risk Assessment
by geradsredskittle666
Summary: Liv eats the brain of a murdered teenager only to find he was abused. It takes its toll on her. Ravi is concerned. Warnings: platonic affection between Ravi and Liv, child abuse, rape, trauma, depression, PTSD, anxiety, panic attacks. Pairing: Ravi/Liv friendship


**Risk Assessment**

Disclaimer: I don't own iZombie or any of its characters or other property. I make no money from these fics and do not intend to.

Pairing: Ravi/Liv friendship

Warnings: platonic affection between Ravi and Liv, child abuse, rape, trauma, depression, PTSD, anxiety, panic attacks.

Synopsis: Liv eats the brain of a murdered teenager and experiences visions of the teenagers abuse at the hands of his father. Ravi is concerned.

START

This time it was a teenager. He had clearly been beaten to death so that meant Liv had a job to do. Since this was clearly not an accident.

So it was time to eat!

She eyed the corpse. "Do we have any idea what he was like? What kind of life he led?" she asked, hiding her nerves. She didn't want any surprises.

"No nasty surprises as far as the detective has found yet. I suppose you will find out." Ravi replied, easily reading the unease.

The autopsy didn't reveal much that they didn't already know. The cause of death was as straight forward as ever, though the who that beat him was not. That was Liv's job...well the detectives really.

Soon she was mixing in little bits of teenage brain into a Chinese vegetables and noodles. It tasted as gross as usual but she did feel much better.

She didn't get any of her visions, which was strange but she probably hadn't got the right trigger yet. It was the end of the day and they both headed home. Ravi had a system: when they didn't know the risk of the consumed brains, she stayed with him until he was sure it was safe. Since one of her meals had given her agoraphobia, he had realised the other risks involved.

She settled on the lounge, ignoring the unease in her chest. This brain seemed to be making her nervous of new settings, of new people...well new as far as this brain was concerned. So she ignored it. She was in control.

He was hovering uncertainly, as if sensing her unease. She smiled back reassuringly, she had this under control.

 _"Wake up!" a male voice whispered urgently. She woke, pulling herself to her feet. Her body hurt but she was strangely used to it._

 _"Josh!" the boy urged again. Her brother...wait this teenage boy brains brother. Joshuas brain._

 _"We have to get you cleaned up! I'll clean the room. Hurry! Okay?" he urged again and sprung into action, cleaning the room and wiping up some blood._

 _Meanwhile Josh was taking out a bandage and wrapping a nasty looking cut in his arm and taking some pain medication. Prescription but not in his name. Finally Josh pulled on a long sleeve shirt and grinned. He could make it through today!_

 _Then she heard footsteps, his fathers boots, Joshua's brain supplied. She felt this immense terror grip her like a snake wrapped around its prey. Then she saw Joshua's father grin wickedly. Snake!_

She was pulled from her vision by a voice calling her name. "Liv, wake up! Liv, just breathe!" Ravi begged.

She opened her eyes to see Ravi's kitchen. She coughed and couldn't stop. Why couldn't she breathe? Ravi was rubbing her back, looking concerned. She couldn't hear his half panicked words but she felt some comfort.

Finally the tightness dissipated, leaving an uncomfortable ache behind.

Ravi paused, looking her over critically before leaving. He returned with a couples of pills and some water. "Take it. Please." he begged. She complied exhaustedly. "Now what did you see?" he asked.

She paused. This was more private than any other vision she had seen. Could she tell? Could she risk harm to Joshua's brother? It had to be done she decided. "Josh was afraid of his father. Josh had a brother, he was helping look after him after a beating. Josh had a deep cut on his arm. He was taking care of it himself." She explained as best she could.

"You saw it?" Ravi asked alarmed.

She shook her head. "I felt it. He was terrified. He knew what to do. He even had a bottle of pain medication but it wasn't his. He was living life day to day, hoping he wouldn't be killed." she explained.

Ravi pulled her close. "I'm sorry you had to see that. This is one tough brain, huh?" he reassured.

She nodded, words failling her.

LRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLLRLRL

She had managed to sleep through the night after that. Though he kept close.

Morning came and she woke, feeling much better. She still looked unsettled though.

Ravi didn't like the idea of her returning to work but who could stop Liv? She had glared at him, daring him to fight her. So he conceded. "Clive said he had some of Joshua's stuff brought to the morgue. I'll let him know what you found out. Just promise that you will get me if you need me?" he urged.

She had conceded his point. And given her promise.

So while Ravi set up for the day, she hid away in his office looking over a box of photos and other things she recognised from Joshua's room. Maybe it might make sense to her...if she weren't so damn tired!

She didn't hear him enter and jumped when Ravi spoke. "You should nap. You actually look dead. I'll cover for you." he offered.

She smiled greatfully, settling on the small lounge. She drifted to sleep immediately, and felt a blanket over her.

The day went fast and she found herself with ample time to go over Joshua's things and do "paperwork" aka napping. Also maybe some actual paperwork.

She picked up an old looking band shirt...

 _She was his room again...though he seemed to feel more at ease. A man came in with her mother...his mother. Yes. This brain stuff got confusing._

 _She got up off the bed, grinning. "Are we going to play or what?" Josh asked, grabbing a guitar._

 _The man, a friend of his mothers, grinned back. He grabbed his guitar and joins._

 _His mother watches, looking sad. She had only wanted good things for her child._

She picked up a note book...his diary. Opening it she found writing...not English...it was a mix of symbols and letters from different languages. She knew it was code. Code only he understood.

She easily read the entries...each as depressing as the last.

No child should have to live that life...

She easily decoded the book onto some spare sheets of paper. It was almost like Josh's brain wanted her to avenge him.

Ravi checked in halfway through. He looked the book, written in code and the sheets of paper written out. "His diary?" he asked.

She nodded.

"He created his own code! This kid was smart!" he commented.

"Yep!" she replied.

He picked up the transposed sheets, looking concerned as he read on. "Poor kid! Is this the proof that the father did it?" he asked.

"And when they take it to court, you think a diary written in secret code will hold up?" Liv asked bluntly. "Might be enough to make him confess though." she commented.

He was still reading through the entries. "This is fucked. What kind of father would do this?" he questioned looking genuinely upset.

"It gets worse" she replied sadly.

"Worse?" he asked, caught between anger and concern and disbelief. "Are you sure your okay to help solve this case?" he asked in that concerned tone she couldn't ignore.

She looked up, "I have to get justice for this kid. And free his brother. Doesn't matter the cost." she spoke fiercely.

He hovered, unsure if he wanted to voice his thoughts. He didn't have to. "I'll be fine later. Okay?" she easily replied to his unspoken concern.

"Alright" he accepted. After all, what else could he say? Hadn't he convinced her to use her visions to help solve crime? That it was the right thing? To say he felt guilt would be putting it mildly.


End file.
